The present invention relates to a novel combination of a gem stone, an article of jewelry and connecting members adapted to secure the gem stone to the article of jewelry. A method disclosed for setting precious stones in jewelry rings or the like is especially adapted to setting stones in round structural elements such as rings, bracelets, and earrings, as well as pendants. Stone setting is a highly-skilled art. Skilled workers are required to perform such setting operations. Since labor is a high cost part of the manufacture of jewelry, various approaches have been employed in the prior art to simplify the assembly of jewelry, especially fine jewelry employing precious as well as non-precious stones.
In the prior art, gem stones such as diamonds have been cut and polished to form gems and then set in rings, earrings, and other objects to form jewelry. One diamond cut which is currently popular is the round, facet-cut, or brilliant-cut shape in which the gem stone is divided into an upper portion, known as the crown, a lower portion referred to as the pavilion. The circumference of the gem where the crown meets the pavilion is termed the girdle. In addition, the top surface of the gem is known as the table and the lower, pointed section of the gem is known as the culet.
In the prior art, one of the most popular types of gem stone settings is the prong type setting. The advantage of the prong setting is that the gem is allowed to be exposed to more light than in other types of settings, such as channel or bezel settings. Utilizing the prong type setting, the jeweler cuts notches near the top of each of the multiple prongs which are attached at the opposite ends to an article of jewelry. The notches conform to the shape of the crown and pavilion immediately adjacent to the girdle of the gem stone. The jeweler then encloses the gem stone within the multiple prongs with the gem stone being held at the girdle in the notches. The portions of the prongs above the notches are then bent over the crown of the gem stone with jewelers pliers. This type of setting can only be used by a skilled jeweler.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,613 to Hoover et al., a gem stone setting is disclosed including a base having multiple prongs extending therefrom. The method of Hoover et al. is adapted for gem stone setting by a jeweler as well as an unskilled layman.
In each of U.S. Pat. No. 5,285,659 and U.S. Pat. No. 5,765,398 to Bardisbanyan, a method and an apparatus for setting stones in jewelry is disclosed. In '659, a housing is formed by a pair of opposed channel-shaped legs which can be squeezed together to encircle and hold the girdle portion of the gem stone. At one end of the mounting, there is provided a post which is securable to the free end of the opposed leg of the mounting by welding. In '398, round gem stones are placed in large apertures in an article of jewelry such as a ring, the size of the aperture being slightly smaller than the circumference of the gem stone at the girdle so that the gem stone nests into the aperture. The gem stones are secured by pin shaped connecting members which bear at the head of the pin on a portion of the crown of the gem stone and are secured at the opposite end to the ring by soldering.
In U.S. Pat. No. 5,664,440 to Roemer, there is disclosed a composite ring having a setting which combines a colored inner gem stone and a diamond outer gem stone. The color generated by light passing through the inner stone is visible when the diamond is viewed. Prong-type gem stone settings are utilized.